New York Times Editorial Rips into Scott's Train Decision

Like someone in mourning, we've tried to forget. We'd just rather not think about how Gov. Rick Scott passed on the high-speed rail package that would have brought billions of dollars, thousands of jobs and a once-in-a-generation transportation upgrade to Florida all on the federal government's dime. Yet, occasionally the hurt still surfaces, as it did yesterday when the Obama Administration announced how they'd use the funds that Florida -- or, really, a single bald slime ball -- didn't want. Thankfully, The New York Times is helping us with the grieving process by ripping into Scott in an editorial today.The $2 billion that was supposed to be ours was dolled out yesterday to smaller projects in 15 states, mostly in the Northeast. The Times editorial board decided to once again brutally dig into Scott for the decision:

After Gov. Rick Scott of Florida thoughtlessly rejected $2.4 billion in federal aid for a high-speed rail line, he claimed last month that he was doing a huge favor for the national Treasury, which he expected would give away the money in tax cuts. That was nonsense, of course; Mr. Scott was really doing a favor for train passengers in the Northeast, Midwest and California, which were given $2 billion of his money on Monday for better service.

Florida voters might want to think about that decision as they sit in traffic jams, burning up $4-a-gallon gasoline. In fact, some of them clearly have thought about it because Mr. Scott now has some of the worst approval ratings of a Florida official in the last decade.

Scott has also claimed that his decision to forgo the rail helped the federal government advert a shutdown, a claim that PolitiFact finds is just flat out false and a revision of history.

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Republican­s ARE practicing seditious DEMAGOGUER­Y and anti-democ­racy OBSTRUCTIO­NISM intended to destabiliz­e our economy for purposes of social, political and financial exploitati­on.

Republican­s AREN'T making a sincere effort to STOP the bleeding THEIR incompeten­t leadership and failed policies created. Instead, they're using inflammato­ry lies and false accusation­s as a smokescree­n to conceal their subversive agenda, which is to CAUSE the American economy to collapse and fail so they can blame Democrats for the consequenc­es of THEIR calamitous mismanagem­ent.

Republican­s ARE prepostero­usly professing that THEIR disgracefu­l political WHORING had nothing to do with the banking, real estate, stock market and employment catastroph­es that resulted.Republican­s ARE trying to hamstring Democrats to prevent them from repairing the damage caused during a Republican presidency enabled by Republican Senators and Representa­tives.

Republican­s ARE offering ridiculous arguments meant solely to disrupt and prevent constructi­ve change. They'd rather create the suffering of American families than endure the political consequenc­es of human-cent­ered effective governance­.

Republican­s AREN'T the LOYAL OPPOSITION­; they ARE the ENEMY WITHIN whose mercenary priorities have eroded THEIR moral and ethical standards to the point that duplicity and betrayal have become their preferred modus operandi.

It's one thing to advocate conservati­ve beliefs; it's another thing entirely to willfully sabotage America's government because a Democratic presidency would not be vulnerable to the avarice, fears and bigotries that have produced and sustained the despicable Republican anti-human­ity corporatis­m and anti-Chris­tian faux theocracie­s that are poisoning and crippling American society.

Republican­s ARE practicing seditious DEMAGOGUER­Y and anti-democ­racy OBSTRUCTIO­NISM intended to destabiliz­e our economy for purposes of social, political and financial exploitati­on.

Republican­s AREN'T making a sincere effort to STOP the bleeding THEIR incompeten­t leadership and failed policies created. Instead, they're using inflammato­ry lies and false accusation­s as a smokescree­n to conceal their subversive agenda, which is to CAUSE the American economy to collapse and fail so they can blame Democrats for the consequenc­es of THEIR calamitous mismanagem­ent.

Republican­s ARE prepostero­usly professing that THEIR disgracefu­l political WHORING had nothing to do with the banking, real estate, stock market and employment catastroph­es that resulted.Republican­s ARE trying to hamstring Democrats to prevent them from repairing the damage caused during a Republican presidency enabled by Republican Senators and Representa­tives.

Republican­s ARE offering ridiculous arguments meant solely to disrupt and prevent constructi­ve change. They'd rather create the suffering of American families than endure the political consequenc­es of human-cent­ered effective governance­.

Republican­s AREN'T the LOYAL OPPOSITION­; they ARE the ENEMY WITHIN whose mercenary priorities have eroded THEIR moral and ethical standards to the point that duplicity and betrayal have become their preferred modus operandi.

It's one thing to advocate conservati­ve beliefs; it's another thing entirely to willfully sabotage America's government because a Democratic presidency would not be vulnerable to the avarice, fears and bigotries that have produced and sustained the despicable Republican anti-human­ity corporatis­m and anti-Chris­tian faux theocracie­s that are poisoning and crippling American society.

Thanks Rick Scott. Instead of upgrading our outdated transportation infrastructure, that money now all goes to other parts of the country where it is less needed than Florida. You're an idiot Scott. Scott is the worst governor in the country. Only fools voted for this idiot and are now paying the price.

You watch this governor will double his worth by taking political advantage of the health care industry by the time he is 2 years out of office. P T Barnum said there is a sucker born every minute. He is proving it.

All the unemployed who voted for this governor can thank him for further unemployment. Don't they understand that the more he beats down the workers of florida the more powerful he becomes. What leader leaves in the middle of the most important session of Tallahassee to get tucked into bed while his team fights it out till 3 am in the morning? He will go down in history as one of the worst governors of florida.

The Times has also, in the past, covered the flaws of the plan: the lack of real need for high-speed rail on the I-4 corridor, and the likely (modest) underfunding the state would have to make up. But these are points that make the plan imperfect, not rejection-worthy. Scott was trying to score political points. Suddenly everyone and their mother is worried about the federal deficit (thank you, Fox news), a fear Scott callously exploited. Of course the real danger posed by federal deficits is inflation, something the economy shows no signs of at the moment. Everyone knows the real, immediate threat to the economy isn't the deficit, but unemployment, and that's something this project would have created a lot of. It's beyond shortsighted on Scott's part, it's political cynicism at its worst, and it continues Florida's record of electing inept public officials. Mayoral race anyone? I can't wait to see who we come up with this time!

When and How can he be impeached? I didn't vote for him from the get go because he was a CROOK!!! His whole campaign was "Create Jobs"!!!!!!!!! Well where are they? My husband is still looking after 8 months!!!!!!!!!! Then you passed on a project that could have produced hundreds of jobs... Your an idiot!!!!!!!! Thinking the government would give us tax breaks? They have given us many tax breaks they were trying to help the state, being in the position you are you would think you knew that DUMBA**!!!!!!!

The "high speed rail package that would have brought billions of dollars, thousands of jobs and a once-in-a-generation transportation upgrade to Florida." According to who exactly?

"Florida voters might want to think about that decision as they sit in traffic jams, burning up $4-a-gallon gasoline." How will a "high-speed" rail line between Tampa and Orlando (which even in a traffic jam takes about an hour to drive) help anyone as we sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic on US1?

Forget some BS high speed train Kyle and take a tip from Uncle Luke on how to create jobs: "Casinos, Pot, And Fun: The Key To New Jobs In Miami-Dade."

Because both of these political parties are sabotaging this country and you better wake up, cause if you think the dumbocrats are better had better think again.We have a two party dictatorship and it has to stop.

You must be a serious ignorant person to believe what you just said. Are you included with those who believed that Obama was going to pay their mortgages and gas bills? Grow up. I want to believe that you're saying what yyou;re saying because of anger not because you really believe it. We are in big deep doodoo if we have voters as shallow minded as you.

the plan called for the rail to eventually also run down from Orlando to Miami. who populates Orlando regularly, dude? tourists. do they spend money here? duh! now dont you think these very same tourists would like to come down to miami/so beach for a day and check out the glamour? hopping a high speed rail to make the trip up and back on the same day would benefit all. not to mention a good portion of the tourists that stop in central Fla and dont continue to Miami because of the distance are European. they are used to trains over there. would fit right into theyre regular style of travel. all at no cost to Floridians. 2.4 Billion tossed away just so this rupugnican Fla can jerrymander votes and make Florida a rebugnant state for life. we are going down in flames between now and 2012 and will suffer irreperable damage to our state because of this loser gov and the "who -gives-a-crap-about Floridians-lets-stay-in-office-for-life" republicans a-holes who fiddle while the state burns to the ground. nice job people. you voted these lie through the fake smile righties into office. now we all suffer for your stupidity.

Nobama is just as crook as rick scott, both parties are crooks and puppets of the global elite.it makes me glad I'm planning to vote for ron paul in 2012, it's time to fire these two vile corporate political parties and put them in fuckin jail.

"The plan called for the rail to eventually also run down from Orlando to Miami..." Where was that money coming from...? Obama would have the Federal Reserve "print" some more money...? What a joke, if it costs $2.4 billion to run the train from Tampa to Orlando, how much would it cost to build a rail line to Miami...? Way more than the Federal Government is willing to "hand out," I'm sure!! The Governor did the right thing by refusing the money

I guess the same line of thought follows every single election... lots of people believe that the President was voted in for same $$$hit and now everyone else is suffering for the stupidity. Yes everyone suffers from others stupidity as you call it. The right to vote called by others.